Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ƒ/4
11 mm
1/160
3200

I was so excited to see this the analog Apollo Flight Control Computer (the 100 lb. silver cylinder on the left) in situ, as it is the newest addition to the space collection at work.

Plaque for the big ring: “The Saturn V rocket, which sent astronauts to the Moon, used inertial guidance, a self-contained system that guided the rocket’s trajectory. The rocket booster had a guidance system separate from those on the command and lunar modules. It was contained in an instrument unit like this one, a ring located between the rocket’s third stage and the command and lunar modules. The ring contained the basic guidance system components—a stable platform, accelerometers, a digital computer, and control electronics—as well as radar, telemetry, and other units.
The instrument unit’s stable platform was based on an experimental unit for the German V-2 rocket of World War II. The Bendix Corporation produced the platform, while IBM designed and built the unit’s digital computer.”

One response to “Saturn V Instrument Unit”

  1. Zooming in on the flight computer… It got Apollo 12 to orbit when the lighting strike took out all power in the command module… Incredible wiring harness bus to the gyro…

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